In Brief
- UFC and Fight.ID are expanding their partnership to develop new blockchain-based fan experiences.
- Fight.ID secured new funding from venture firms, athletes, and entertainment investors to support its next phase.
- Plans include loyalty programs, fighter bonuses, and premium merchandise within the Fight.ID ecosystem.
Fightfi, the company operating the Web3 platform Fight.ID, has announced an expanded collaboration with the UFC aimed at strengthening digital fan engagement. The agreement builds on several years of joint work on UFC’s digital collectibles and sets out a broader role for blockchain within combat sports.
At the center of the plan is a roadmap to introduce features that extend beyond collectibles. Fight.ID is preparing a digital identity and loyalty system, a mechanism to fund additional fighter bonuses through prize pools, and premium merchandise accessible only within its ecosystem. These tools are designed to strengthen the connection between the UFC’s global fan base and the growing community of Web3 users.
The new phase is being backed by a funding round that drew both institutional and individual investors. Firms such as Anthos Capital, Aptos Foundation, Aquanow Ventures, Blockchain Coinvestors, Fabric VC, Jupiter, and Memeland participated. The round also attracted athletes and entertainment figures, including UFC fighters Gilbert Burns, Josh Emmett, Dan Ige, Vicente Luque, Eric Nicksick, Alexandre Pantoja, and Gregory Rodrigues. Additional backers include Craig Kallman of Atlantic Music Group, former NBA player Baron Davis, NFL Pro Bowler Cam Jordan, and Animoca Brands chairman Yat Siu.
Proceeds from the raise will support the development of products built on Web3 infrastructure, with a focus on digital asset ownership, programmable rewards, and interactive fan experiences. These align with Fight.ID’s principles of Fight Fair, Fight Together, Fight Through, and Fight Forever.
“UFC has always embraced an innovation-first mentality. James and his team have proven to be a dynamic and innovative partner for us, and we are extremely excited to support the Fight.ID ecosystem over the next several years,” said Grant Norris-Jones, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Partnerships at TKO.
Fight.ID has played a role in building UFC Strike digital collectibles over the past three years. The renewed collaboration expands that relationship to reach more of the combat sports community and to extend fan engagement beyond traditional channels.
“As our world continues to become more digitally enabled, there is no better time than now to invest in blockchain projects. There’s also no better time to become a UFC fan as MMA continues to capture our cultural zeitgeist,” said James Zhang, Co-Founder and CEO of Fight.ID. “As fight fans, we have long admired UFC’s grit and innovation. Over the past three years, our teams have developed incredible trust and collaboration behind building UFC’s official digital collectibles. It’s time now to expand our offerings to invite all fight fans to join the tribe of digital ownership.”